Prayer List for February 15-21, 2009

Sunday, please pray for the Christians of North Korea, the world’s worst abuser of Christians, and of almost everyone else. North Korea requires its citizens to worship its ruthless dictator, Kim Jung-Il.(Open Doors)

Monday, please pray for six Christian brothers in Egypt. “On Jan. 22 a judge sentenced six Christian brothers to three years in prison with hard labor for resisting arrest and assaulting authorities. Last September, police officers raided a café in Port Sa’id, because they were open for business during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. When they tried to defend their café, the brothers were arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assaulting authorities. There is no law inEgypt under which the brothers could be prosecuted for opening their café during Ramadan.” (Open Doors)

Tuesday, please pray that Christian relief efforts in Gaza will result in the turning of the people against their radical government and to the Lord. “The Bible Societies in Israel and Palestinian Areas launched a joint initiative called “Standing in the Gap,” offering practical as well as spiritual relief for the suffering Gazan people. Open Doors is co-supporting a part of the program which is called “Love your Neighbor/Comfort my People.” It is not for Christian families only but also will be used in reaching out to Muslim neighbors in Gaza.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for Christians in Bangladesh. “A gang of Muslim extremists armed with machetes attacked a Christian family, leaving them with serious wounds. The attackers later filed charges of assault against the injured believers.” (Open Doors)

Thursday, please pray for Somali Christians in Kenya. “Jailed for defending his family against Islamists, Somali Christian Salat Sekondo Mbwerba was freed after Christians paid a fine. Following his release, the extremists shot him, leaving him for dead.” It is not clear whether he survived or not from the report. (Open Doors, me)

Friday, please pray for the Christians of Colombia. “Not only are they caught in the crossfire between the country’s warring guerrilla factions, but believers are often also singled out as prime targets.” (Open Doors)

Saturday, please praise God that the Democratic conference committee of the House and Senate removed a controversial clause from the Obama-Reid-Pelosi Stimulus Package. That clause refused stimulus money for renovation for buildings that allowed religious worship. This was obviously an attack on the freedom of students to worship on college campuses and would have resulted in colleges restricting the First Amendment rights of students to worship. I cannot help compare it to most Islamic countries that do not allow Christians to repair churches so that they will look shabby and fall into disrepair while the mosques are allowed to prosper. Was this a secular version of that? (Jay Sekulow, me )